Experience a personal journey to the White Villages of Andalusia. These are a collection of settlements located predominantly within the bounds of Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park in southern Spain. Every village boasts the distinctive features of white plastered walls and red or brown clay-tiled rooftops. It is often believed that the tradition of painting houses white is to deflect the severe summer heat experienced primarily in the Sierra de Grazalema regions. However, the practice of whitewashing houses dates back to ancient times in the Mediterranean, utilized as a method to sterilize the surroundings during plague outbreaks. The combination of lime and water, when heated, effectively eliminates any microorganisms. As a result, inhabitants of cities with ‘whitewashed’ houses had higher survival rates during these epidemics than those who didn’t. Even though times have modernized, this tradition endures, marking the periods to whitewash the facades. Interestingly, some white villages even allow tax-free exterior painting of houses.

• May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, cap, bring drink, snacks, sunscreen.